Brace or tie-in bar for cas meters



Nov. 15, 1932.

A. F. FOW

BRACE 0R TIE-IN BAR FOR GAS METERS Filed 001;. 15. 1929 Patented Nov. I5, 1932 nn-agar: :n. Tow-on PHILADELPHIA, amnnsvtvnivm, ,aissreivon T KIiDSON-GOM- ramgpn nnrrusnntmqra, nannsynvnnm, A oorerommrorr onwaisr vmo-mm :BB-acn (ca arr-1N Jameson -;eas MEIEBS Ap li at xfi e em e v 5, 192a Thi in nt. el te t a. brace or tien bar for gas meters.

The gas neters commonly in use are provided with inlet and outlet pipes, the inlet pipe being soldered to one side of the easing and the outlet pipe to the other. These pipes are more or less fragile and liable to be ruptured if any unusual or unintended strain is placed upon them either during the 1nstallation oi the meter or thereafter. Furthermore it is common under present practice to hang or support the whole meter from the service pipe and house pipe, which plpes are in turn supported in various ways in the building as may appear most convenient and advantageous as dictated by the conditions characterized by the location of the installation. In the usual installation there are provided couplings which are, by suitable unions or nipples, attached to or connected withthe upper ends of the meter pipes. It is important that a strong rigid bar or tie be provided between these couplingsso that should the house pipes become dislodged from the original position from any cause whatsoever, no strain will be transmitted to the meter pipes.

In view of these necessities as above outlined, my object is to provide a brace or tiein bar of a specially rigid character which will be for all practical purposes incapable of any 7 deformation or in fact distortion of any character after it has once been secured in place, in the manner which will be described.

A further object is to form a bar that will cooperate with the seats on the couplings in such a way that there will be no possibility of the ends of the bar rocking in the seats after the bolts connecting the bar with the seats have been drawn up, even though a bolt should thereafter become slightly loosened.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the meter assemblage in which my improved bar is included.

Figure 2 is a disassembled perspective View of the bar or brace and seat on the coupling.

Figure 3 is a section through the end of the bar and seat on the coupling.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the upper sum in. ceases.

end of one of the meterpipes showing the manner of connectingthe coupling with'sai'd PlP i i Y Figure 5 ,isa'detaile'd perspective view of a modifiedform of A couplings. f

"In the drawing the numeral fl the service pipe -leading from the n the approved meter fhook-up such as is illustrated this pipeis provided at'itsfupper end with an-elbow 2 connected by a nipple 8 to an e'lbowlw'hich in turn receives another ear forming aipartgo f the d signates g s malnelbow fi il ig'fi, i s'th aded iinto'the meter coup ing 6 at the inlet side'offthe meter, which is provided with the gas cook '7. Threadedinto the/flow ng at t vlew r d a un on 9 y whi hahe couplingis connected with the inlet pipe 10 otthe meter. At the opposite side of the thls coupling 1s a gooseneck =1i1pple 8 carrymeter is'the outle pipe l'liconnectedby union l2 and goosenec'lLnippleB with meter CQLlplingl. To this "coupling is conjnected by a threaded nipple .15 an felbowl 6, which elbow is connected to another elbow 137. The

elbow 17 is connected by a nipple "18 Iwith'the fitting 19 WhiQh ay e of any-kind suitab e er wnl e ifih h Pip s a d fitt ngs ead ng to a the meter meters Whichinay be in the same series. The couplings '6 and a ep v d d i h ea 20 whi h re-iden a a d. ea h i ievide a t w r d W a a ly Xte lf ng ledg or flanges 91 which 9 11 seatsfor th brace 1? tie-in rod presentlyto be described, "Each ear is provided with an elongated slot 22 for the Pa sag Q a ol 23. 123" whi h thefba issccu d rmlytp t e seajtsiln the a s, the elongati n of th ots ih'the earspermitt ng lateral adjustmentof thelbar 'onltlhe seats the installati nof h meter Ike-num ra 24 fl s g ia sthe tiehanibiun a d t its en a lin clicated a 25,vthe

furcation of'thelbar ends being ada t d t rest upon the ledgesjl ofthe, eitt rsi2Oiof the metercouplingsrffllhejurcations ofthelbar r are p vide with. eppo itely disposed peri-v ngS 7a 2 i 'thepassageofholts Wh se s11a1ik pa' s through. the slot provided in ea h f th coupling ears. The apertur 28;

is preferably square, so that a carriage bolt, (which is a bolt having a squared portion adjacent its head to prevent the bolt from turning when the nut is threaded on the bolt) or an ordinary machine bolt, whose shank will be of such size as to enable it to pass through both of the openings, may be used.

The fittings employed are, in the main, ordinary stock fittings, which are threaded into each other and are capable of all of the adjustments necessary to so position them for the convenient attachment of the meter in the operation of installation. By the aid of a suitable wrench the couplings 6 and 1 are brought opposite each other with the ears in accurate alinement. The furcations of the bar ends are then, by a downward movement, seated onthe ledges 21 of the ears and the bolts tightened, thus establishing an absolutely rigid connection between the couplings and virtually converting them into an integral structure. Thereafter, the gooseneck nipples 8 and 13, which are threaded into the couplings at their upper ends, and consequently capable of a swinging movement, (by the aid of a suitable wrench) are manipulated until the lower ends of the said nipples are accurately positioned over the upper ends of the inlet and outlet pipes of the meter and faced accurately therewith. The installation is completed by the tightening up of the unions.

By reference to Figure 4 it will be noted that the lower end of the nipple 13 (which is identical with the nipple 8) is provided with an annular flange (1, which is embraced by a union 12. Interposed between the flange and the upper face of the outlet pipe 11 is a leather washer I). Should there be any slight irregularity or unevenness between the nipple and the meter pipe ends, this irreg ularity is readily taken care of by the washer. It will be understood that the connections between the nipples 8 and 13 and the meter pipes and their construction, are the same.

It will be noted that the ends of the bar are broadened, thereby giving a greater bear ing surface between the bar ends andv the ears. A further advantage derived from the peculiar formation of the ends of the bar is that a rigid connection will be formed against any tendency to torsionally twist the bar on its seats and to prevent the separation of the couplings 6 and 14, even though a bolt should become slightly loosened.

Referring to Figure 5, which illustrates a modified form of an ear carried by the couplings the numeral 29 designates the top of the ear provided in this instance, with oppositely extending flanges 30. In this form, the furcations of the bar will slide laterally into the seats in the ears, which may be brought about by swinging of the couplings toward each other at the proper stage of the installation, such swinging movement having alined vertical integral ears projecting from respective fittings toward each other; of a rigid tie-bar having forked ends, each straddling a respective ear and fitting closely thereon, said ears each having a lateral flange extending along its edges on each side thereof and engaged by the lower edges ofthe forked portion of the bar in selected upright and inverted position of the bar, and means for securing the tie-bar ends in position on said ears.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa ture.

AMBROSE F. 

